Myths have always served to help man understand, or more accurately, come to terms with the world around him. Whether natural disaster, the changing of the seasons, or death, we have always sought answers to life’s mysteries. Today, we look through the lens of science and reason, and dismiss myths as stories, as entertainment, as archaic, and as irrelevant.
Myths, though, can be considered as eternal, transcendent truths, and as such, they can be invaluable for those dealing with the mystery of death. Far from being ” irrelevant,” myths may be the most significant tool we have with which to tackle the enigma of death, especially our own.
In the Eyes of Rumi
13th century philosopher, theologian, and mystic, Rumi, wrote, “Do not be satisfied with the stories that come before you. Unfold your own myth.” We often do not feel the freedom or power to create our own myths. Why? Because they would be, we think, nothing but stories, nothing but fantasies. But myths have always been much more than that. As Dr. Devdutt Pattanaik writes, “Myth is truth that is subjective, intuitive, cultural, and grounded in faith.” Truth itself is subjective, as are the governing principles of our lives. Love, hate, sadness, joy, greed, morals, beauty…these are stories, fantasies, truths.
Making Sense of it All
Myths make sense of that which may appear inexplicable. When you create your own to deal with the complexities and mysteries of death, you can better accept that death is inevitable. Many people borrow and adapt existing myths to explain death. Heaven, for instance, is a concept that is believed in by billions of people. By “myth,” we are not implying that heaven doesn’t exist, or that it does. We are simply saying that it is an explanation for the inexplicable. Heaven is, to borrow from Dr. Pattanaik, “subjective, intuitive, cultural, and grounded in faith.”
Myths: What about Reincarnation?
Other people believe in the “myth” (again, not to prove or disprove) that the soul is reincarnated. Mormons believe that we were always spirits; when we are born, our spirit joins with our physical body.
When we die, they separate, but they will be rejoined after the coming of the Christ. Buddhists believe that the soul passes unchanged into a form their karma destines; Hindus believe that just as a person sheds his clothes, so too does he shed his body. Some people believe the soul continues, others believe our bodies and our “souls” die at the same time.
But what do you believe?
These myths, or explanations, may not be sufficient for you. They may not reflect what you feel is the truth. They may not be what you want to teach your children about death. Therefore, being able to unfold our own myths gives us the freedom to explore what we believe and fashion it into a scenario to which we can subscribe.
Will it? And if it is, so what? The 1994 movie, Corrina, Corrina, tells the story of a man who has just lost his wife. He and his daughter struggle to accept this, and his daughter starts to talk about her mother being in heaven. He says, “The heaven, the angels, and all that, it’s just something that people make up so they won’t feel sad anymore.” Her reply: “Well, what’s wrong with that?”
Absolutely nothing. In fact, when you believe in a death myth, whether heaven, reincarnation, or something entirely different, you do not need to concern yourself with facts. You only need to concern yourself with truth, creating a scenario that explains death for you. Truth is subjective; we do not know what happens after death. But by building a story, we are able to give ourselves peace. Believing is often more essential than knowing, though that is a difficult concept in our fact-driven society.
What do You Believe?
Are you going to be greeted by God, the angels, and loved ones who died before you? Are you going to become part of the earth, flowing through rivers and falling from the sky as snow and rain? Are you going to be reincarnated into a different body? Build for yourself a myth that helps you deal with death. You are not going to be wrong, nor do you have to justify your beliefs to others. This is your life, your myth, and ultimately, your death; deal with it on your own terms.
by Dr. Seth Isaiah Rubin
About the Author: Looking to find an excellent provider for therapy San Francisco, then look no more. Dr. Seth is a renowned analytical psychologist who practices classical Jungian analysis to psychoanalytically-oriented psychotherapy.
 |
Exploring the Unexplained: The World's Greatest Marvels, Mysteries and Myths :: Amazon Time explores teh most challenging and enduring mysteries of heaven and earth, life and death, space and time, mind and matter in this fasci |
 |
How Belief Stories Matter / An Approach to Myth :: Amazon For journalists and advertisers, myth is what people often have the poor judgment to believe, and informed people will want to debunk. But i |
 |
Dismantling the Myths: The Connection Between Faith and Morality :: Amazon This is a difficult time for the Church. Our world is undergoing significant change. Systems and methods that have been in place for centuri |
 |
The Myth of Enlightenment: Seeing Through the Illusion of Separation :: Amazon Whether you meet Karl Renz in person or through this book, the encounter will leave you with a radically different sense of yourself. Karl's |
Popular Topics